Little Guy from Brooklyn (AU)
by penandpathways
Summary: They're not in high school anymore. But it doesn't mean they couldn't try to pick up the pieces they left together. AU. Two-shot. (past peggy/steve) (past bruce/natasha) (steve/natasha)


**This may sound very ironic because I was actually inspired to write this because of the onscreen couple, Clark Kent and Lois Lane. They're technically from the opposing comic universe but I can't help it! Every time I watch them I always see Natasha and Steve doing the same thing! I love Romanogers so much that I felt they should have these moments of their own too.**

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 **Little Guy from Brooklyn**

 ** _by: penandpathways_**

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 _"For a second there, I was just going along then it kind of just snuck up on me. And I tried to ignore it, but then there are these moments that you just can't. Maybe I was reading it wrong. And to add insult to injury, it all went down at tonight's tribute to these false fantasies of mine. God, I know it sounds sappy. It doesn't sound like me at all and I hate it. But I thought... just for a minute... that someone needed me." **  
**_

 _"Well, I'm sure he needs you, Natasha."_

 _"That's sweet of you to say, but how do you know?"_

 _"Because I know Steve."_

* * *

It was supposed to be a good night.

They were celebrating the union of two of their closest friends, Sam Wilson and Sharon Carter.

Both of them had seen it coming for a while now. These two were what they'd like to call as _high school sweethearts_ , and those two were practically attached to the hip whether they were at school or malls or anywhere at all. And to think that it was _her_ idea to set the both of them up for a blind date. Well, considering their social statuses of Sam being a jock and with Sharon as a cheerleader, it wasn't a surprise that they'd get along so well.

Despite that though, they were really good friends with them.

All of her friends, really. Their group was the _complete set_ , and she's saying this as modestly as possible.

It's crazy how time flies by so fast. It seems like yesterday they were just laughing their asses off while Tony and Clint engage in a dance showdown in the middle of the cafeteria, and now? Gone were the high school, innocent, and childish (well, not entirely) minds of theirs.

Two years later, they were now men and women dressed in suits and elegant dresses wearing fancy perfumes attending their friends' wedding day.

Though out of all her friends, her heart was particularly close to _one_ of them.

There was her best friend, _Clint Barton_. He was like her big brother who is always protective of her (even if she tells him she can handle herself _all_ the time). _Tony Stark_ , the nagging egotistical genius jerk but can still be a nice person if he tried well enough. Then there's _Rhodey_ , the one who most likely keeps Tony's ego from getting to his head; his best friend too. And _Pepper_ , Tony's girl. She's a very nice person who's the only one who Tony listens to. _Really._

 _Thor Odinson_ , the sophisticated Australian hunk yet a big softie on the inside. _Wanda Maximoff_ , the reserved, timid girl but is actually crazy and sassy once you get to know her. _Bruce Banner,_ another genius mind of the group; shy and quiet and barely noticeable that he's there but has extreme anger management issues. _Vision,_ it's not exactly his name but they call him that because he knows everything and sees everything past the literal form of everything; he always sees the deeper meaning of things. Of course, there's _Sam Wilson_ and _Sharon Carter_ and...

"Nat! Come on we can't have a wedding without the bridesmaid there for the bride!" A voice called from the bottom of the stairs.

 _Steve Rogers._

She took a final glance at her reflection on the mirror. Once satisfied by her look, she stepped out of her room, closed the door behind and proceeded downstairs.

Clint was nice enough to let them stay at his house for the moment (since the reception of the wedding was relatively close to their place). But since she took forever to prep herself up, Clint and Laura, his girlfriend, already headed first and left her with Steve. Not that she was complaining because he was her date to the wedding after all.

"Nat!" he called again.

She rolled her eyes, already heading down. "Keep your pants on, Brooklyn. A girl takes time to clean herself up you know—"

As soon as he emerged from the kitchen and came to her view, she abruptly stopped. Pausing at the middle of the staircase. Her breath hitched in her throat as soon as she saw _him._

He was wearing a suit. The traditional black tie, white polo, and black trousers and coat. His blonde hair was tousled neatly in place. A small smile traced the edge of his lips. She felt her heart skipped a beat.

He looked simple, really. But, still, there was something about Steve Rogers that just made everything look so special and dashing about him. He was _that_ extraordinary. _That_ amazing. And _that_ , downright handsome in his own way.

From that moment, Natasha knew that whatever feelings she had for Steve Rogers since they were in high school, it never really gone away. It was still there. Deeply buried somewhere in her heart. She was never clear on what these feelings or emotions actually meant because she had only started to feel this way when they were nearing the end of their senior year. So, she brushed it off as nothing.

Steve was a good friend of hers, and up to this day she was still questioning herself how on earth someone like her managed to become friends with someone like him. They were exact opposites. Completely different. He was a boy scout. A jock. Captain of the football team. The guys looked up to him and went as far as to giving him the title of _'Captain America'_. The teachers love him. The street sweeper back on 17th street. The old lady whom he helped cross the road. _Everybody_ loved him.

Especially, the _females._

But not once, had he ever entertained the girls like any other guy in his position would have. Sure, he'd go on a few dates here and there, but not once had he tried to flirt or seduce or end their date in a _bedroom._ He treated girls the way they were supposed to be treated. With respect, and not just lust.

And she always wondered, how could a hotshot like Steve Rogers, someone who's close to perfect, and the kind who'd you take home to introduce to your folks, be the shy little guy from Brooklyn when it comes to talking with women?

 _God._ He really was a wonder.

Natasha broke off her gaze with a smile. "Looks like you're ready."

Steve seemed to snap out of her daze too, just noticing now that he was openly gawking at her. How could he not? She was breathtaking. Stunning. "You as well." He said, unable to keep his eyes off her.

He'd be lying if he said Natasha wasn't beautiful. She was a _goddess._ She was wearing a black dress. Her fiery-red curls framed her petite face in all the right places. Her striking-green eyes completely taking his breath away.

It still surprised him most of the time how he managed to be so comfortable around a girl like her, more so, even become good friends with one considering his complete inability to talk to women. Especially the pretty ones.

Though they did start off roughly, he was _damn_ lucky now to have her in his life.

She tilted her head at him as if she was inspecting something. "Your tie's a little bit out of place." Striding down the stairs, she went to fix the knot. Untying it again and working her way through it once more.

Steve was aware of the close proximity they were in. And while she was helping him with his tie, his eyes were locked on her. He couldn't help but feel a shiver run past her spine as he'd feel her fingers brush against his chest now and then. She was deeply focused on what she was doing, but he knew her well enough to see if something's clouding her mind.

And judging from the way she seemed to have uneven breaths, with the silence quickly pouring in on them, he wasn't the only one feeling _this_ feeling.

"There." She smoothed the tie on its place, stepping back to take a look at her work. "Now you're ready."

He smiled. "Thanks."

The tension was there again.

He didn't know what was happening but he does know his heart was beginning to pick up an irregular pace. Bad sign. _Bad sign._ He hadn't felt this way since that day they were left alone in the bleachers. Right before they parted ways after Graduation day.

It triggered a bitter sensation at the back of his throat.

Neither of them tried to bring it up since they saw each other again. And from the looks of it, neither of them was planning to.

She cleared her throat, "Here are the rings." She handed him a small black box, 'You can give that to Sam once the minister signals," And a white envelope next, "And here are his vows, in case he forgets."

Steve took them, trying to ignore the way his stomach twisted as soon as their fingers brushed. She turned the other way, and he took this time to see the contents of the envelope, curious to see what cheesy lines Sam would have written.

" _It's really hard for me to put my feelings into words, but from the moment we met I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you._ " Wow. He never thought Sam could be such a sap. But it was nice and well-thought, though. It was simple yet powerful. He glanced up at Natasha, smiling, "Sam's vows—" He stopped as soon as he caught her looking at him, a wide smile on her face and he swore her eyes were slightly glistening. Was it tears? He wasn't sure. But he was confused that it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "—they're really sweet." He finished, going silent, trying to gauge her reaction.

For a moment, he thought disappointment flicker in her eyes but she brushed it off. "Yeah, I think he's a regular Cyrano." she forced a smile.

There were times where he felt like he could never understand Natasha, considering she was always so secretive and was distrustful of people, but then there were times wherein he thinks he understood Natasha better than anyone. She would break down his walls, show him that she too could be vulnerable like any other person out there, and trust him with her life.

But why trust him with her life...

...when she can't even trust him with her heart?

Steve swallowed a thick lump in his throat, smiling back. That was all they do everytime they were unsure of something, hurting because of something they couldn't understand. _Smile._

"Cap! Nat!" The annoying voice of Tony Stark rang out from the hall as he came into view. He was holding his phone in his hand, and from the looks of it, he was recording them. "How about that testimonial before the ceremony?" he asked, with a grin.

That would get their minds off from this suffocating tension. Whatever this is.

"Great," Natasha said.

Steve smiled, "Sure."

"Okay, just be yourselves. _Not_ Captain America. Speak from the heart. And please, no student-leadership talk, alright? We're miles away from high school." He shot a look at Steve who rolled his eyes in response. "We don't want the guests to bore themselves to death with your words of righteousness, Capsicle." He said, using the nickname he came up for the blonde.

He sighed, annoyed. "You realize that you're gonna have to cut this part, right?"

"Depends if I find it entertaining or not." Tony shrugged, giving him another laugh. "Come on, Steve. Get on with it."

Steve mumbled something under his breath before putting up another one of his smiles, the kind that makes the girls swoon over him. He looked straight at the camera. He started his speech, "Hey, Sam, Sharon, I can't tell you how happy I am that the two of you found each other. You're very lucky to be together..."

The entire time they're giving off their messages to the couple, they couldn't help but wonder the feeling of being able to find the one you're meant to be with. For _eternity._

* * *

Once the ceremony was over, they all headed to the reception. It wasn't anything over the top, they settled at a simple outdoor garden. Besides, there weren't a lot of people. Most were just their former classmates in high school and a couple of Sam and Sharon's colleagues at work.

Natasha was off dancing with Clint. After their slightly awkward moment earlier, he noticed she was still a little uncomfortable around him but eventually, they managed to wrap it back up to their usual teasing banter. Before he could ask her to dance though, Clint had already asked her first so he settled by the punch bowl and helped himself to a drink.

It was a warm sight to see.

He and his friends were together once again. Even if it's just for a short while, it was more than enough to see all of them reunited in one place.

Of course, the couples were spending their time together. He could see Tony and Pepper on the side, Bruce and Betty, Thor and Jane, Rhodey with a fairly pretty girl, and Vision and Wanda.

Guess it kinda sucked to not have someone to dance with. Considering he didn't even get to learn how to dance and sweep a girl off her feet.

"Hey, Steve!"

He followed the feminine voice and saw it belonged to Sharon. She was still wrapped up in Sam's arms but her free hand was gesturing him to come closer. Despite not knowing what she was trying to say, he did it anyway. As soon as he was in front of them, Sam stepped away from her and clasped a hand on Steve's back. "Try not to crush my wife's toes, okay?" he chuckled.

He looked at him, puzzled. Sharon seemed to notice his confusion and held out a hand, "Wanna dance?" she offered.

Oh, now he gets it. He glanced at Sam to ask if this was okay when he cut him off with a nod. "It's fine, man. I think I need a timeout anyway. I've been holding this since the recital of vows." He leaned in to give Sharon a peck on the cheek. "I'll be back."

"And we'll be here," she said, watching as her husband walked away. She turned to Steve, guiding his hand on her waist and holding the other up. "You must have dance even once, right?"

Steve smiled sheepishly, following her lead. "Not really."

She arched an eyebrow, "When you went on dates? Prom? Homecoming dance? Surely someone must have taught you."

"Oh, yes, many attempted to. But most girls aren't so patient enough when you keep stepping on their toes. It must have been a big turn off for a guy as big as me to be a stuttering mess." he said, with a shrug. "Besides, in the past few years, it didn't seem to matter that much. I figured I'd wait."

"For what?" she asked.

"The right partner."

She smiled, "I'm sure you'll find her soon. Besides, you seem to be doing a fairly good job now. Haven't crush my toes yet."

He chuckled, "Thanks." The smile stayed on his face, as he continued, "I'm happy for you. The both of you. And I'm glad that after two years, everything's still the same. It's like picking up where we left off."

"Thanks, Steve. And I'm glad that all of you could make it. It means a lot."

"How could we miss our friends' wedding?" He asked rhetorically, earning a smile from her. "And the important thing is, your life is everything you want it to be."

She nodded, her brown orbs filling with so much warmth and joy. "It is." she said, "And I don't know why but it's like I've been carrying around this weight, until a few days ago, I finally let go. Like I can move on."

She was closing a chapter in her life and starting a new one with Sam.

And Steve could see it, he thought that nothing has changed, but he was wrong. They all did change but a part of them remains the same. Their high school selves will always stay within them, and he thought that no matter what happens, they would all have that bond. That strength. That connection that made them into the people they were today.

Maybe, it's just what he needed to do too.

Steve could only give her a smile before he felt a hand pat on his back.

"Okay, Cap, your dance tutorial sessions are up, I'm gonna have to steal my wife again," Sam said.

He laughed, letting go and handed her over to him.

So, he stood there again, silently standing and watching the couples dance their way through the night. The music changed to a slower one now, more serene than the previous ones. At that moment, his eyes drifted over to the side and saw Natasha standing by herself. Her gaze was focused upfront, and he took this moment to simply look at her, admiring how beautiful she looked under the lights and how it traced every curve of her.

As if she knew he was looking at her, her attention snapped to his direction and their eyes locked.

Blue meets green.

For seconds, they just stood there, looking at each other and feeling warmth surge through their chests. Natasha's heart was pounding, and she felt her knees going to buckle anytime if she didn't do something quick. So, she attempted to escape, she pretended to grimace, "Guess I can give these well-heeled feet of mine a rest."

Just as she brushed past him, she stopped in his tracks as soon as she felt his hand enclosed around her wrist. It was gentle yet eager not to let her go. "Natasha," he said, nodding at the dance floor.

She hesitated for a moment, trying to think of million reasons not go with this. But she had danced with him before, and it sure didn't feel anything like this. She remembered teaching him a lesson or two until they gave up and started dancing as if they were a bunch of drunken teenagers. It felt good, though. Doing things the way their own way. Not giving a damn about the world and just letting go. No awkward confrontations nor suffocating tensions. Just Steve and Natasha, partners, allies, _good_ friends.

If only she hadn't got these feelings for him. If only she hadn't made a stupid decision.

If only she hadn't done it _that_ day in the bleachers after their graduation.

How she wished she could turn back time.

Natasha didn't want to ruin what they had left. She needed to mend it back together, to salvage what's left. So, she gave in and let him guide her back to the dance floor. He rested his hands on her waist while she on his arms. They were very close. Close enough that his lips were almost brushing against her ear. Any closer and he might feel the loud thumping of her heart, practically tearing its way out of her.

The nostalgia was coming back to her. All the memories. The joy. Laughter. Smiles. Hurt. Tears. Pain. So much _pain._

If this was high school, she would've leaned her head against his shoulder and let the tears fall freely while he stroked her back and soothed her cries, cradling her in his strong hold. That was just the kind of guy Steve Rogers is. The kind of friend. The little guy from Brooklyn.

And as much as she'd like to believe that nothing had changed between them, something did.

She wasn't the same mysterious, dark, sarcastic, and flirty girl she was two years ago. Natasha Romanoff was a changed woman. But still, every time she's with him, he always managed to reduce her back to the girl she was back in high school. Well, he was her first _something_ after all. She can't distinguish if it was love, because love isn't just meant for her. For her friends, maybe, but for her, no.

All she knows is that Steve makes her feel different. Special. _Needed._

Maybe that's why she sees him differently than the rest.

Then she felt someone bumped into her back and caused her stumbling over Steve. Their bodies pressed closer and she made the wrong decision of looking up because now, their faces were only mere inches apart. Their _lips_ were only inches apart.

Surprise filled his face. His deep blue eyes were staring intently at her, his arm was wrapped more securely around her back. She saw him swallow thickly, feeling the wave of desire flush past him as much as it did to her.

Like an electric pull was tugging them closer, slowly, they were leaning in.

Her eyelids flutter closed, focusing on the sound of their own hearts beating, as she inched closer, and _closer_ , and _closer_ to meet his lips.

Only to never happen.

"No way! I can't believe it!"

They both pulled away at the sound of Sharon's voice. A look of shock and elation was evident on her face, and she was gasping out a breath like she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Both followed her gaze to the door.

"Oh my God!" Sharon rushed to meet the person, giving her a crushing embrace. "You came!" she breathed.

Steve felt the air knocked out of his lungs as soon as the person emerged from the shadows.

Her velvet red lips stretched into a sweet smile, her chocolate brown orbs glinting in the light, as her brown curls fall perfectly past her shoulders. Her voice, which Steve could recognize any time and anywhere he went, sounded through the air. It felt like an eternity since he had heard her angelic voice. "I wouldn't miss my cousin's wedding for the world." Her British accent still evident.

And just like that, as soon as Natasha saw the look on Steve's face, she felt her world crumbling down to pieces.

It was her.

"Peggy..." Steve whispered, staring at her wide-eyed.

It was _Peggy Carter._

 _Steve's first love_.

* * *

 **So, this is a two-shot.**

 **What do you think so far? Reviews please!**


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